Quotes About Empowerment

until recently…. [She] really enabled him….

It is an axiom in my mind, that our liberty can never be safe but in the hands of the people themselves, and that too of the people with a certain degree of instruction. This it is the business of the State to effect, and on a general plan.

The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the atmosphere.

Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and opressions of the body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.

no people can be both ignorant and free.

Never trouble another for what you can do yourself

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. -Thomas Jefferson

Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government

All that is necessary for a student is access to a library.

No people who are ignorant can be truly free.

I have often thought that nothing would do more extensive good at small expense than the establishment of a small circulating library in every county, to consist of a few well-chosen books, to be lent to the people of the country under regulations as would secure their safe return in due time.

Enlighten the people, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.

That liberty [is pure] which is to go to all, and not to the few or the rich alone. (to Horatio Gates, 1798)

The policy of the American government is to leave its citizens free, neither restraining them nor aiding them in their pursuits.

It is a] happy truth that man is capable of self-government, and only rendered otherwise by the moral degradation designedly superinduced on him by the wicked acts of his tyrant.

All is safe where all can read, is a quotation from Thomas Jefferson showing his belief in the importance of everyone knowing how to and being able/allowed to read. I would like to take it one step further. I would say, All is BETTER when all can read. No matter what you like to read, the ability to read it, understand it, and enjoy it, truly enriches your life.

wherever the people are well informed they can be trusted with their own government

It is safer to have a whole people respectably enlightened than a few in a high state of science and the many in ignorance.

The people are the only safe depositories of their own liberty, & they are not safe unless enlightened to a certain degree.

he who saves the life of one man saves the entire world.

The past was only tolerable if one felt above it, instead of having to stare stupidly at it aware of one's present impotence.

Democracy is eternal and human. It dignifies the human being; it respects humanity.

We must make the choices that enable us to fulfill the deepest capacities of our real selves.